A weight loss journey can be challenging, and men in particular often face a lot of challenges when it comes to advice and information available to them. Most diet and weight loss advice is catered specifically towards women and ignores men’s struggles.
Because of this, loads of men are prone to making a few common mistakes – here’s what some of the major ones are and how you can overcome them to achieve your health and fitness goals.
Ignoring Health Conditions
First of all, it’s often ignored that many weight loss struggles can be caused by underlying health problems. Conditions like thyroid disorders, hormone imbalances, and insulin resistance can all make losing weight all the more challenging. You can click the link to learn more about insulin resistance and the role it can play in weight and even the appearance of “man boobs.”
If you’re working hard to lose weight and seeing no results, it might be a good idea to visit a healthcare professional to rule out any of these issues.
Overlooking Nutritional Balance
When trying to lose weight, both men and women tend to use the “reduce and restrict” approach and aim to cut fat by simply eating fewer calories. While this can work in theory, it also neglects the important factor of nutritional intake.
If you’re eating too little, or too little of a specific macronutrient, it can hinder your weight loss, lead to increased hunger, a decreased metabolism, and even nutrient deficiencies. Instead, focusing on balance and increasing your protein intake can help significantly when it comes to regulating hunger while you lose weight.
Neglecting Strength Training
Boat loads of cardio seems to be the go-to when someone is trying to lose weight, but lifting weights is actually a much better route to take for fat loss. True, muscle is heavier than fat, but the more of it you have, the more calories you’ll burn on a day-to-day basis without even doing anything.
Strength training is also the only route to the “toned”, lean, and muscular look that most men are striving for. Try to include both strength training and cardio in your fitness routine. By doing so, you can increase your lean muscle mass and boost your metabolism while still burning fat and reaching your goals.
Ignoring Liquid Calories
Even when being strict with their diets, few people realize just how many calories they’re drinking in a day. Sugary sodas, energy drinks, beers, and even your daily coffee consumption can all contribute significantly to your daily calorie intake, and might just be the thing that’s preventing you from dropping pounds.
Monitor your drink intake and try to focus on drinking mainly water, reserving alcohol and other high-calorie drinks for rare occasions while you’re trying to lose weight. If you struggle to drink water, try adding low-calorie flavoring to your drinks to make it easier to get down, or even try using lemon or other fruit for just a bit of extra flavor.